Susie Salmon, a fourteen-year-old girl, is murdered by her next-door neighbor in suburban Pennsylvania. She tells the story of her family's reaction and subsequent disintegration after her own murder.

Susie's father Jack suspects the neighbor, Mr. Harvey, but the police do not have evidence to hold him as a suspect. Jack becomes obsessed with the neighbor, while his wife and Susie's mother Abigail has a short affair with the lead detective, Len Fenerman. Susie's sister Lindsey finds out about her mother's affair.

In her heaven, Susie does not let her family and friends go. She follows them through the years, watching Lindsey doing everything that she would have done had she remained alive. Susie can't let her family go, and they see her everywhere.

Mr. Harvey finally leaves the neighborhood for good, but not before Lindsey breaks into his house to search for evidence. Mr. Harvey...